Partner Dry Pass
Pairs pass so the ball arrives in the partner's raised hand without touching the water – the 'dry pass' that keeps play moving.
- Stages
- Water Polo – Stage 8, Water Polo – Stage 9
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Passing, Receiving
- Equipment
- Water Polo Ball
- Age
- 8–99 years
- Group size
- 2–20 swimmers
- Time
- About 6 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Soft balls; passes to the hand only – never at the head.
What it develops
- Pass and receive over short distances
- Pass and receive while moving
How to run it
- Pairs face each other three metres apart, treading or standing.
- The receiver holds one hand up as a target.
- The passer draws the ball back beside the head and pushes it to the target hand.
- Catch, settle and pass back; move further apart after five good passes.
Teaching cues
- Receiver shows a hand.
- Pass to the hand, not the face.
- Catch with soft fingers and draw the ball back.
Make it easier
- Shorter distance; allow a bounce.
Make it harder
- Receiver moves sideways before calling.
- Passes with the weaker hand.
Common faults
- Lobbing the ball high.
- Receiver doesn't show a target.
Corrections
- 'Flat, firm pass.'
- 'Hand up, ask for it.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Partner any spare swimmer and give a clear high target hand so they experience accurate passing.